Raleigh, NC October 31, 2017 – The North Carolina Defense Industry Diversification Initiative (NC DIDI) will host a town hall entitled the “NC DIDI Triangle Contractors and Suppliers Town Hall” on Wednesday November 15, 2017 to discuss solutions to the challenges being faced by businesses who contract or subcontract with the Department of Defense in the state of North Carolina.

The town hall is a part of a 5-part series of town halls aimed at gathering the businesses and DoD suppliers to learn more about your experiences as a supplier to the DoD and US military. This is an opportunity to educate your state and local stakeholders about what elements of this relationship are positive and about the various challenges that suppliers face.

“The voice of North Carolina’s manufacturing and service providing contractors are the most important piece of this initiative. The opportunity to capture their thoughts on how this process could be streamlined is vital to fortifying the Department of Defense contracting supply chain in this state, ” said Secretary Larry Hall, of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Co-Chairman of NC DIDI, “These town halls coupled with our ongoing pilot projects and supply chain study will give defense companies the opportunity to grow and diversify into alternative markets.”

The event will take place at the Frontier. The Frontier is located at 800 Park Offices Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC. The event will begin at 12:00pm and conclude at 2:00pm. The town hall and panel will be moderated by the host.

“As we look to insulate defense contractors form potential budget cuts, we ensure that these companies remain viable. This forum will capture the experience of being in the DoD supply chain and why it is important to better understanding how to both grow and protect these businesses in our various regions,” said Phil Mintz, Director, Industry Expansion Solutions, North Carolina State University, “This also gives companies an opportunity to apply for the final spots in the pilot project and a chance to take the initiatives supply chain survey.”

The forum will also include an informative panel from some of the Triangle Regions leading DoD contracting companies, economic development officers and procurement experts. Lunch will be served. While the event is free, registration is highly recommended. Those wishing to participate in the forum can register at our website, www.ncdidi.com or at EventBrite.

About NCDMVA

The North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (NCDMVA) provides advice, counsel and recommendations to the Governor, the NC General Assembly, the Secretary of Commerce and other State agencies on initiatives, programs and legislation that will continue and increase the role that NC’s military installations, the National Guard and Reserves play in America’s defense strategy and the economic health and vitality of the State. The NCDMVA also works to improve the accessibility of health, education, training, counseling, financial, and burial benefits and services to veterans and their dependents. They work to increase the satisfaction of veterans and their dependents with benefits and services by meeting their expectations for availability, quality, timeliness, and responsiveness.